Forging machine with a workpiece-holding mechanism and a cutting mechanism that are driven by the same driving device

ABSTRACT

A forging machine includes a housing unit fixed on a machine bed and having opposite first and second side portions. A workpiece-holding mechanism and a cutting mechanism are disposed on the first side portion of the housing unit, and are driven by a first driving device which is activated by a second driving device that drives a holder-opening mechanism disposed on the second side portion of the housing unit. An outer shield is disposed to cover the housing unit. A platform is disposed outside the outer shield, and is adjacent to the holder-opening mechanism such that a technician can stand thereon to monitor the forging operation. The workpiece-holding mechanism has a plurality of holders that do not move between a forging module and the platform.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a forging machine, more particularly toa forging machine, which includes a workpiece-holding mechanism and acutting mechanism that are driven by a driving device disposed on a sideof a housing unit.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004]FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively schematic top, left and rightside views of a conventional forging machine 1 which is employed to cutand forge a linear workpiece 100 to form a plurality of forged products,such as bolts. The conventional forging machine 1 includes a housingunit 10, a power supply 11, a first rotating wheel 12, a second rotatingwheel 13, a third rotating wheel 14, a feeding mechanism 15, a cuttingmechanism 16, a workpiece-holding mechanism 17, a holder-openingmechanism 18, a discharging mechanism 19, a forging module 20, aplatform 21, and an outer shield 22.

[0005] The power supply 11 provides electric power to rotate the firstrotating wheel 12. The first rotating wheel 12 is connected to thesecond rotating wheel 13 in such a manner to transfer rotationtherebetween. The third rotating wheel 14 engages the second rotatingwheel 13 via a gearing so as to permit rotation transfer therebetween.The third rotating wheel 14 is connected to a fourth rotating wheel 152by means of a link 141 such that rotation of the third rotating wheel 14can be transferred to the fourth rotating wheel 152, thereby rotating aplurality of feeding rollers 151 of the feeding mechanism 15. As such,the workpiece 100 is fed into the housing unit 10 by the rollers 151 ina direction indicated by an arrowhead (F) in FIG. 1.

[0006] The cutting mechanism 16 is connected to the second rotatingwheel 13 by a link 131 so that the second rotating wheel 13 activatesthe cutting mechanism 16 to cut the workpiece 100, thereby forming aplurality of workpiece sections.

[0007] The workpiece-holding mechanism 17 includes a plurality ofholders (not shown), and is connected to the first rotating wheel 12 bymeans of a link 121 so that the holders are driven by the first rotatingwheel 12 to hold and move the workpiece sections to a plurality offorging dies of the forging module 20. Subsequently, the workpiecesections are forged to form a plurality of forged products. Theholder-opening mechanism 18 is driven by the link 121 to open theholders, thereby permitting the release of the forged products from theholders. Finally, the forged products are removed from the housing unit10 by the discharging mechanism 19.

[0008] The outer shield 22 is disposed to cover the housing unit 10 forincreasing aesthetic appearance of the machine 1 and for preventing anyinterference to the operation of the same. The platform 21 is disposedoutside the outer shield 22 so that a technician can stand thereon tomonitor the forging process. When the forged products are found to bedefective, the technician will adjust some moving parts and/or theforging dies.

[0009] The aforesaid conventional forging machine 1 suffers from thefollowing disadvantage:

[0010] Because the workpiece-holding mechanism 17 and the platform 21are disposed at the same side of the machine 1, and because the holdersof the workpiece-holding mechanism 17 are moved between the forgingmodule 20 and the platform 21, it will be difficult for the technicianto see whether the forging dies and the forged products are in goodcondition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The object of this invention is to provide a forging machine witha workpiece-holding mechanism that is positioned such that a techniciancan easily monitor the forging operation.

[0012] According to this invention, a forging machine includes a housingunit fixed on a machine bed and having opposite first and second sideportions. A workpiece-holding mechanism and a cutting mechanism aredisposed on the first side portion of the housing unit, and are drivenby a first driving device which is activated by a second driving devicethat drives a holder-opening mechanism disposed on the second sideportion of the housing unit. An outer shield is disposed to cover thehousing unit. A platform is disposed outside the outer shield, and isadjacent to the holder-opening mechanism such that a technician canstand thereon to monitor the forging operation. The workpiece-holdingmechanism has a plurality of holders that do not move between a forgingmodule and the platform. As such, a technician who stands on theplatform can easily monitor the forging operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] These and other features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent in the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a conventional forging machine;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a schematic left view of the conventional forgingmachine;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a schematic right view of the conventional forgingmachine;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the preferred embodiment of aforging machine according to this invention;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a schematic left side view of the preferred embodiment;FIG. 6 is a schematic right side view of the preferred embodiment;

[0019]FIG. 7 is a schematic fragmentary side view of the preferredembodiment, illustrating arrangement of a carrier plate relative to acutting mechanism and a workpiece-holding mechanism;

[0020]FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along Line 8-8 in FIG. 5,illustrating how the cutting mechanism is connected to the carrierplate;

[0021]FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along Line 9-9 in FIG. 5,illustrating arrangement of a holder-opening mechanism relative to theworkpiece-holding mechanism; and

[0022]FIG. 10 is a schematic top view of the preferred embodiment, whichfurther includes an outer shield and a platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, the preferred embodiment of a forgingmachine 3 according to this invention is shown to include a machine bed31, a feeding mechanism 32, a cutting mechanism 33, a forging module 34,a workpiece-holding mechanism 35, a holder-opening mechanism 36, adischarging mechanism 37, and a carrier plate 4.

[0024] A housing unit 311 is fixed on the machine bed 31, and has afront portion (311F), a rear portion (311R), a left or first sideportion (311A), and a right or second side portion (311B). The feedingmechanism 32 is disposed on the front portion (311F) of the housing unit311. The cutting mechanism 33, the forging module 34 and theworkpiece-holding mechanism 35 are disposed on the first side portion(311A) of the housing unit 311. The holder-opening mechanism 36 and thedischarging mechanism 37 are disposed on the second side portion (311B)of the housing unit 311.

[0025] A driving unit is disposed on the rear portion (311R) of thehousing unit 311, and includes a power supply 312, a first drivingdevice 313, a second driving device 314 and a third driving device 315.The first driving device 313 is disposed on the first side portion(311A) of the housing unit 311. The second driving device 314 isdisposed on the second side portion (311B) of the housing unit 311. Thethird driving device 315 is disposed on the first side portion (311A) ofthe housing unit 311 under the first driving device 313.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the power supply 312 provideselectric power to rotate a rotating wheel (314 a) of the second drivingdevice 314, which is disposed rotatably on the housing unit 311. Therotating wheel (314 a) is connected fixedly to a gear (313 a) of thefirst driving device 313 by a first rotating shaft (S1) (see FIG. 4) totransfer rotation therebetween. The third driving device 315 includes agear (315 a), which meshes with the gear (313 a) of the first drivingdevice 313 so as to transfer rotation therebetween, thereby permittingreciprocal movement of a driving rod (315 b) that is connected pivotallyto the gear (315 a). The reciprocal movement of the driving rod (315 b)results in rotation of two gears 321 of the feeding mechanism 32 suchthat the feeding mechanism 32 feeds a linear workpiece 300 into thehousing unit 311 in a direction indicated by an arrowhead (F′) (see FIG.4).

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8, the cutting mechanism 33includes a cutter portion 331 and a sliding base 332 which is connectedfixedly to the cutter portion 331 and which is mounted pivotally on afirst sliding block 41 that is fixed on the carrier plate 4. A link (313b) has two ends that are connected respectively and pivotally to thecarrier plate 4 and the gear (313 a) of the first driving device 313.When the carrier plate 4 is activated by the gear (313 a) of the firstdriving device 313 via the link (313 b) to reciprocate relative to thehousing unit 311, the cutter portion 331 of the cutting mechanism 33reciprocates relative to the machine bed 31, thereby cutting theworkpiece 300 to form a plurality of workpiece sections.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 9, the workpiece-holding mechanism35 includes a sliding plate 351 disposed slidably on the housing unit311, a plurality of holders 352 disposed operably on the sliding plate351, a driving member 353 mounted pivotally on a second sliding block 42that is disposed fixedly on the carrier plate 4, and a connecting rod354 (see FIG. 9) connected pivotally to the sliding plate 351 and thedriving member 353. As such, when the carrier plate 4 reciprocates, theholders 352 hold and move the workpiece sections to a plurality offorging dies of the forging module 34, in which the workpiece sectionsare formed into a plurality of forged products.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 4, 6 and 9, the second driving device 314further includes a sector gear (314 b) (see FIG. 6), which is connectedfixedly to the gear (315 a) of the third driving device 315 by means ofa second rotating shaft (S2) so as to rotate synchronously therewith.The sector gear (314 b) engages a threaded portion (G) (see FIG. 6) of adriving rod (314 c), thereby reciprocating the driving rod (314 c) whenthe sector gear (324 b) rotates. The holder-opening mechanism 36includes a central rotating shaft 361 (see FIG. 9), which is journalledon the housing unit 311 and which is connected to the driving rod (314c) by means of a sector gear 362 (see FIG. 6). When the driving rod (314c) reciprocates, the central rotating shaft 361 rotates so as toactivate a plurality of cam and follower assemblies (not shown), whichdrive the holders 352, thereby releasing the forged products from theholders 352. Finally, the forged products are removed from the housingunit 311 by the discharging mechanism 37 that is driven by the drivingrod (314 c).

[0030] Because the cutting and forging operations of the machine 1 arenot pertinent to the scope of this invention, a detailed description ofthe same will be omitted herein for the sake of brevity.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 10, an outer shield 5 is disposed to cover thehousing unit 311 for increasing aesthetic appearance of the machine 3and for preventing any interference to the forging operation. Inaddition, a platform 51 is disposed outside the outer shield 5, and isadjacent to the holder-opening mechanism 36 such that a technician canstand thereon to monitor the forging operation.

[0032] Because the holders 352 (see FIG. 9) of the workpiece-holdingmechanism 35 will not move between the forging module 34 and theplatform 51, the technician can easily observe whether the forging diesand/or the forged products are in good condition.

[0033] Furthermore, because the workpiece-holding mechanism 35 isdisposed adjacent to the cutting mechanism 33, the production rate ofthe machine 3 can be increased significantly. It has been proven thatthe production rate of the machine 3 is about 320 pieces/minute, whichis much higher than that of prior art that is about 180 pieces/minute.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, a counterweight (314 d) is attachedto the rotating wheel (314 a) of the second driving device 314 so as tostabilize rotation of the rotating wheel (314 a), thereby reducingvibration of the machine 3.

[0035] With this invention thus explained, it is apparent the numerousmodifications and variations can be made without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that thisinvention be limited only as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A forging machine comprising: a machine bed with a fixed housing unit that has a front portion, a rear portion, and opposite first and second side portions; a driving unit disposed on said rear portion of said housing unit and including a first driving device that is disposed on said first side portion of said housing unit, a second driving device that is disposed on said second side portion of said housing unit, and a third driving device that is disposed on said first side portion of said housing unit; a feeding mechanism disposed on said front portion of said housing unit and driven by said third driving device so as to be adapted to feed a linear workpiece into said housing unit; a cutting mechanism driven by said first driving device so as to be adapted to cut the workpiece to form a plurality of workpiece sections; a forging module disposed on said housing unit and adapted to forge the workpiece sections; a workpiece-holding mechanism including a sliding plate that is disposed movably on said housing unit and that is driven by said first driving device, and a plurality of holders that are disposed operably on said sliding plate and that are adapted to hold and move the workpiece sections to said forging module, thereby subsequently forming a plurality of forged products; a holder-opening mechanism including a central rotating shaft that is journalled on said housing unit and that is rotated by said second driving device so as to be adapted to release the forged products from said holders; and a discharging mechanism adapted to remove the forged products from said housing unit.
 2. The forging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving unit further includes a power supply that is disposed on said rear portion of said housing unit, said second driving device including: a rotating wheel disposed rotatably on said housing unit and driven by said power supply to activate said first and third driving devices; and a counterweight attached to said rotating wheel so as to stabilize rotation of said rotating wheel. 